Change of Hearts
by Shiawase-usagichan
Summary: A young man is a murderer, he hates the world for all the suffering he was made to enduring during his life. A young woman happens to be the only person he can stand. Will she be able to melt his black heart? Erza x Jellal
1. Chapter 1

**Change of Hearts**

**Chapter 1: Blood stained hands**

* * *

A woman with beautiful scarlet hair was running that night, racing the wind home, her black pack swinging against her back,. The breeze felt chilly against her skin, the sky clouded with dark wisps that covered the moon's light. She turned into another, empty road, not a single person in sight. She could pick up the faint cricket's chirps accompanied by the wind's howl, but the rest of the night was accompanied by a still silence. Further forward she ran, chest heaving from her quickened intake of air, but she slowed down when she finally spied the silhouette of another human being crouched on the floor. The figure was bent over by a brickwall hands moving swiftly.

When he turned around it was if time stopped moving, her heart lodged in her throat.

His blue eyes blazed with a strange hint of lifelessness and malice when their eyes met. She had never seen such emotion in a person's eyes before. She knew little of what the raw emotions his eyes held. Was it really loathing, or something more?

Wind picked up at that moment playing with strains of her red hair, making her black dress flutter against her legs.

At that very moment he lifted himself up, eyes examining her briefly.

It was dark, the hands on her wrist watch pointed ten minutes before the twelve. The clouds finally drifted away from the moon, letting its light illuminate the scene before her.

His hands were covered in blood, the glint of his knife sharply reflected into her eyes. The young man looked about her age, dressed up in a dark blue hooded jacket, baggy jeans and his shirt looked as if there was a morif on it, underneath the splatters of blood. He looked up momentarily at the moon and seemed completely unfazed by her prescence. Her eyes widened as he bent back down and continue to deal with his victim.

Taking a life in front of her very eyes was a crime in itself. "Hey you, stop what you're doing." Her voice had a hard edge to it, absolutely commanding leaving no room for negotiation.

He stopped his mutilation and swiftly turned his head. The young man slowly staggered up again, eyes glinting slightly hinting at his amusement.

She regarded him with serious eyes.

He was taller than she thought; easily towering over her, blue hair swaying in the wind. An intricate tattoo ran down the right side of his face. He was quite handsome, but she remained unperturbed even after acknowledging his appearence. She simply wasn't the type of girl who would get distracted by trival matters.

"Well, aren't you a strange person."

"Strange- how?"

"A normal person wouldn't have the guts to stop me. You're either incredibly dim-witted or looking for a fight. But... if you hadn't stopped me, I would've come after you. You know-to make you keep my secret."

His voice was husky, low and monotone.

Erza continued to stare at him; eyes showing signs that she did not completely comprehend his sentence of threat.

"Now that you've witnessed my murder, are you going to turn me in?"

"Well... i think i should, but the man is already dead, so there's not much you can do about it and if i did you'd probably escape before they can catch you." Erza set her lips in a straight line. Not only that, she knew she didn't want to turn him in, after staring in his eyes long enough. Something about his blue depths made her more forgiving towards his actions. She gave him a sharp glare. "Make sure you don't do this again."

For some reason he found her very amusing, mouth tugging at its edges, hiding a smile.

Her eyes didn't falter, as if she knew no fear staring head on at his blood stained face. This time a smirk found its way on his face.

"Miss, you are very interesting." He began to circle her as if she was his prey and he was her predator. "Pray tell why I should stop?..."

"Taking another person's life is wrong."

She stared unfazed by his gory appearance; blood splattered his body like an abstract painting, more noticeable now that the light of the moon shone on him.

His grin widened. "Do you stand by your theory, no matter the reason?"

"I believe in social justice... You can beat them up to a bloody pulp, but not take their life." He red eyes were as blazed as his.

This time he laughed out loud. The red haired woman cocked her head to the side in question. She could not fathom what was so funny.

""You're an unusual person, brutally honest. Rare in people these days" He lifted up a hand and carefully caressed her red hair. His blood stained hands completely blending in with her scarlet hair. "Your hair is very beautiful."

The young woman flinched away from him, eyes wide in shock. In a flash she lifted her legs up, twisting her hip and swung it until she had her foot inches near his face. His smile widened once again.

"Miss, you have very fast reflexes."

"Sorry..." She mumbled and she looked away avoiding his curious gaze. Her hair was a very delicate subject for her.

"There's nothing to apologise for."

The young woman looked up about to question what he meant, when she spied the flat side of his knife held up, nearing her ankle, another inch and she would have found herself severely cut.

She slowly put her legs down. "You are not a normal person."

He chuckled. "I could say the same for you."

The young woman continued to stare at him with regarding eyes. "Are you going to come after me?"

The young man contemplated his answer, eyes shining with humour. "I may or may not."

She remained silent, trying to figure out what her meant by those words. "I see... Well I shall take my leave then." She bowed slightly and turned to depart.

A hand wound around her wrist and she whipped her face around to face him again. She could feel the fresh blood from his hands rubbing against her skin, smudging the red liquid against her wrists.

The young man felt as if his arms had moved by itself. He didn't want the interesting young woman to leave after only getting to know her.

"You really see me as a normal person?"

"I do not judge a person if I do not know them."

He smiled, but the young woman knew that this time his smile was genuine. "Jellal Fernandes."

She felt as if she had been granted an enormous privilege. "Erza..."

He looked at her perplexed when she didn't give a last name.

"...Just Erza."

"Just Erza?"

"I do not know my last name..." She finally admitted.

"Well aren't you a mystery, I think I'll just make one up for you."

"Make one up? Whatever for?"

Jellal looked up in thought, and then directed his piercing gaze at her. "Red... scarlet..."

"My hair?"

"Your new name will be Erza Scarlet- It'll be easy to remember!"

Erza opened her mouth but thought against it. She directed her eyes towards the ground, feeling a bit embarrassed that she was feeling slightly elated.

"...Thank you." She blushed slightly and then turned her tough gaze on him, attempting to hide her embarassment. Jellal's eyes had also widened as a blush spread across his own face. He had actually thought another human being was adorable.

He coughed to himself unable to comprehend why this was so. The blue haired young man brought a hand to his face up in thought., rubbing his chin.

She glanced at her wrist watch and gasped. It was already so late.

"Jellal Fernandes, I need to get going now."

He's expression fell slightly. Erza looked at his hands still clasped around her wrist. Jellal found her leaving incredibly sad and disappointing. "Where are you going?"

"What are you talking about Jellal Fernandes? I am going home."

Jellal hesitantly released his hold on her.

"Good bye, Jellal Fernandes." She turned around and began to walk off.

Jellal wiped his blood stained hands on his shirt and brought it up to his mouth to help give his voice more resonance. "SEE YOU AGAIN."

The scarlet haired woman lifted up a hand to send him her goodbye.

Jellal stared after the strange woman with a new found warmness in his eyes. He couldn't wipe the grin plastered on his face and turned to face the body he was mutilating.

"Well, sir as you can see I'm in a very good mood now, so I'll honour Miss Erza's wishes and stop tryng to kill you~" He hauled the half cut up body on his shoulders and dragged the corpse, leaving a trail of blood as he walked.

* * *

Erza woke up as soon as her alarm clock began to resound throughout her room. She flung the offending object at a wall and it broke into pieces, glass shattering and gears protruding out of the now broken clock.

The red head rubbed her eyes, and opened her draw up to pull out another. She slammed in on top of her bed side table and wished that she didn't have to get up today. This was the start of another long day.

After preparing herself, Erza walked outside, admiring the beautiful day and began to stroll to her job. After a while she spinted faster and then screeched to a halting stop as when she spied a group of males. She resumed her walking, her pace slowing down considerably, curiosity getting the best of her.

"You wanna give me your money pretty boy."

Erza's eyes narrowed at them.

Were they bullying someone for money? She walked up to them and gave one of them a pat on their shoulder to get his attention.

"Get away from him and leave him alone if you don't want to get hurt."

Her glare was spine chilling and immediately the temperature dropped a few degrees.

Another thing that shouldn't be done in front of Erza Scarlet is bullying the weak.

* * *

Jellal was walking, hands in pockets, eyes filled with the same glee he had felt the night before. He couldn't remember feeling this happy in a long time.

The world wasn't so boring and corrupted if it had people like Miss Erza Scarlet in it. Jellal decided that he wouldn't commit another murder for a while, and made sure to ignore calls from the agency. He wanted to meet the red haired beauty once more.

He sighed out loud.

There was a very low chance that he would meet her again. She could've been from another state for all he knew.

As Jellal walked further on and he spied a group of young men laughing in a loutish manner that made him shudder slightly. The young man made up his mind to see what was going on and walked up to them. They dispersed before he arrived and he spied a younger boy brutishly beat up; face filled with bruises and grime, his empty wallet resting on top of his scraped and bloody knee.

At once his eyes darkened in rage and the need to kill began to rise. Emotionless, Jellal walked up to the thugs and pat them on the shoulder to gain their attention. They quickly surround him, eyes snickering at what they thought was a poor defenceless boy- another easy pickings.

"You wanna give me your money pretty boy?" The ugliest of the bunch demanded.

Jellal could feel his vision blurring with red, his hands moving towards his belt feeling for his knife. His anger only intensified as he watched the people passing by, look at him and walking off quickly.

This world was corrupted, filled with vile and repulsive creatures.

"It looks like we'll have to beat it out of you..."

Jellal could feel himself lose all reason to stop, rage building up ready to explode.

"Get away from him and leave him alone if you don't want to get hurt." The familiar voice snapped him out of his dangerous trance and his head tilted upwards.

The thugs around him began falling one by one, and finally familiar red hair flittered across his vision. He's eyes widened as the red haired beauty from last night began to mercilessly kick them into the cement ground, showing impressive hand to hand combat and speed.

When they tried for a punch, she'd duck and return a punch. They attempted to kick her to render her moment; she would block and return a kick. Jellal couldn't take his eyes off her rough yet elegant grace. He felt his heart quickened and he felt a smile coming onto his face. Only she would try and help a defenceless person getting picked on. She was like a rare flower in a garden filled with weeds.

A truly curious person.

The largest of the group watched her flabbergasted as she took down all his large men in a flash. He was left standing and trembling. "W-w-what is wrong with you bitch!"

He yelled out loud and came charging towards her, fists ready to fly at her.

Erza shot him a deadly glare. "Don't bully the weak!"

She dealt him a swift round house kick and he flew a good few metres away. Jellal swallowed his saliva loudly. She was simply so intriguing and his lips was graced with a smile the entire time.

Erza turned around to face him and then her eyes widened. "Jellal Fernandes!"

He's eyes warmed slightly at her flushed face. "Good Morning Miss Erza Scarlet."

She flushed even more when he used her new last name. "It seems that I saved you just in time."

"Believe me, I don't really need saving, if you saved anyone it was them."

Erza nodded with eyes serious. Jellal walked back over to the injured child and then picked him up gently. Erza watched him curiously. "So this was why you were facing those hooligans."

Jellal began to deny the fact, but stopped when she gave him a smile. "It looks like you are a good person after all."

The young man blushed and felt his heart race even more. He couldn't understand why he was feeling so flustered at the moment. Maybe he was coming down with a cold or sickness of some sort? He turned away quickly and trudged off.

Erza watched him walk away and directed her glance at her watch. She swore to herself and began to run again.

She was definitely late for her work.

It was all that Jellal Fernandes' fault.

* * *

**I love Erza X Jellal :P You've heard of Playboys changing for a person they love? How bout a serial killer changing for someone he loves? :P Wahhahahaa, don't worry, Jellal's not so much as a psychopath to kill for no reason. You'll find out his reason in a chapter or 2 x3**

**That is all, and i cbs continuing my other story with them.**

**As usual ideas and comments if you'll please. Also recommendations for other pairings is very welcome as well.**

**Ja ne, **

**Marina.**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: A Naive Idea

Those hands who've tasted fresh blood whose life holds no redemption for their sin, have yet to find their reason for living.

* * *

Miss Erza, or now known as Erza Scarlet unofficially, was simply put, a tough girl. Anyone who knew her well enough would tell you that. Anyone who knew her well enough would also inform you of the impossibilities of Erza ever working in a cafe. The red head would have also agreed that the idea was simply impracticable, that was, before a week ago.

Erza finally skidded to a halt in front of a corner cafe with the words Fairy Cafe in block letters hanging in front. The inside was decorated in glowing pinks and soft pastels. Small glass top tables and matching chairs scattered across ceramic tiled floors. The red head rushed inside and behind the counter to meet with her co-workers. Only some greeted her, while others ignored her.

To her, it was too surreal to be working in a feminie place such as fairy cafe, or as her new manager would put it, a place that was fluffy and cute. Erza had been set up in many jobs, but all ending up in some calamity. Finally she met with the manager of this corner cafe and decided to settle for a change. It had been a week since she was hired and working, but she realised that working in a cafe wasn't as hazardous as working in other venues. Her blunders were forgiven by the scarily kind manager. Her reasons for staying were the very excellent pay, her secret obsession for dressing up and her not so secret obsession for the sweets that lay in the cafe's frosted glass displays.

"Oh Erza, you're such a main attraction!" Mirajane was standing in the door way of the small kitchen of the cafe.

Erza grumbled to herself, embarrassed but words fail to escape her as she loaded two piles of plates into the dishwasher.

"Heavens knows why you're always in here."

As much as Erza loved dressing up, she disliked those pig males that always made advances on her even more.

She shrugged at Mirajane. "If you permit violence against harassment, then I might consider going out there once in a while."

"But Erza! Our customers have been dropping ever since you've been hiding yourself away here."

"But-"

She turned to retaliate but paused mid sentence, staring into Mirajane's teary eyed face.

She threw up her arms in defeat and went to fetch her apron.

"Thank you Erza-chan~ I'll give you a raise." The white haired beauty sang and popped on a pair of pink bunny ears.

The scarlet haired young lady walked outside attracting many stares. Males hooted and howled for her attention and she rolled her eyes. Pigs. Weren't there any decent males out there? She asked herself as she forced a smile.

At that moment a certain a blue haired male flashed through her mind.

Erza urged it away and brought out a pen and paper from her apron pocket. Her eyes examined her fellow work mates flaunting every assets they had to their customers and she adjusted her bunny ears.

Using part of Mirajane's quote from earlier, Heavens knew why he showed up in her mind.

He was barely decent.

* * *

Jellal stared at his blood stained hands by the time he had calmed down. The first stars of the approaching night were only just appearing, and the sunset fading into black. The dark alley way was shone with dim lights in the shadey neighbourbood and trails of blood coloured the cement.

He face palmed himself despite his eyes twinkling in dark humour.

"Not again." He muttered.

He wondered if a certain Miss Erza Scarlet would forgive him if she were to see him now.

"Probably not."

The thought of her disapproving eyes managed to hurt more than the recent knife wounds situated on his arm. Compared to this pain the thought of her hating him was excruciating. Why he wondered why that was so. He had only met her twice.

"I should really stop..."

It was their fault in the first place. After kind Miss Erza had left them with only a few scratches, they actually had the gall to gather up more people to get revenge. He didn't understand humans. They should be smart enough to know when someone outranks them in both power and intelligence.

A groan brought him out of his thoughts and from the corners of his eyes he spied one of the men attempting to get up and escape. The burly man spotted his Jellal burning holes into him with his glare and began to struggle out of the narrow alley way.

"Please- Stop, i'm sorry we tried to hurt you." He whimpered as a dark shadow was cast over him.

Jellal rolled his eyes. Really, it was always the same thing every time. People were so terribly boring and predictable. It was just plain depressing. They do some wrong, pick a fight, and then beg for forgiveness after they've realised they're caught up in a losing battle.

The larger man began to heave himself across the floor to try and flee. Luckily he managed to break a few bones so that he prevented any possibly of escape.

"Please, i'm sorry... Spare me!" He's eyes were filled with tears, a very unsightly image for one who was as muscular as he.

"The boy you hurt earlier for a bit of pocket change had three broken bones and may probably be unable to walk ever again..." Jellal half growled, eyes glinting with his malice. "Nothing you could possibly do can compensate for his despair."

It was too late to stop midway he reasoned with himself.

It... was... too late...

"STOP! YOU... YOU MONSTER!"

He's futile scream soon became a choking gurgle, coughing up blood and then silence. Jellal stared at his victims with impassive aqua depths.

Yes, what would Miss Erza Scarlet think of him if she were here?

Jellal slipped the knife in his belt and took off with the bodies.

She would think he was a monster no less.

Like everyone else.

He smiled forbiddingly, shadow hiding half his face. There was no chance of redemption now...

...but there wasn't any chance in the very beginning.

* * *

After taking off her apron, Erza glanced up at the clock hanging on the wall. Its second hand ticked echoing around the now empty cafe. She walked out of the staff room and back into the kitchen, glancing around.

"Mira, I'm done with the dishes..." She called out. When she received no answer Erza peered from the kitchen into the cafe to try and find her. Erza frown she didn't find her snow white hair flittering around the cafe. Erza walked into the cafe and then moved the curtains to the side and peered through the windows.

She spied Mirajane surrounded by a group of men being a little bit too forceful. Erza narrowed her eyes and brought a kitchen knife with her as she went to confront the thugs. The cafe bell chimed as she exited and she strolled up to them swiftly.

"Excuse me, can you not see she doesn't like your advances?"

They turned their attention on her with threatening glares, but after they had assessed her voluptuous body and pretty face, their intimidation had disappeared.

"Would you like to join us?" One of the men smirked.

"No."

"Aw, come on, it'll be fun."

Erza gave them a warning glower. They backed off momentarily, but then stood their ground.

"Look lady just come with us and we'll promise you a great time."

Erza crossed her arms and then walked up to Mirajane. "If you'll excuse as we'll be leaving."

The red head found herself backed into a wall and cornered with Mirajane behind her. She narrowed her eyes and waited for them to make the first move, reaching for the knife stashed in her back pocket.

"Uwahh, Erza I'm scared!" Mirajane cried out and flailed her arms. The slight monotone in her voice and her fake arm movements were too obvious. Erza also noticed her mouth slightly curved upwards. She knew well that Mirajane was fully capable of defending herself.

"Mira, you're a terrible actor."

"Oh, how do you act like a damsel in distress?"

Erza's eyes sparkled slightly. "I happen to be an expert in acting! Well. First-"

She felt hands on her shoulders and immediately Erza sprung into action and grabbed the hand that had intruded her personal space. She turned around and gave the man a glare as he snatched his hand back.

"Look lady, we can either do this the hard way, or the fun way."

"I chose the fun way."

"I knew you'd say-" The man didn't have time to finish his sentence as Erza palmed his face and sent him flying.

"See. This is pretty fun." She had a devious smile on her face.

The remaining two men lunged at her and Mira knew to step out of the way. She continued smiling as the men were sent flying, one after the other.

Erza made sure to add in extra kicks for good measure and left them in a heap near the dump. Mirajane had followed her smile never leaving her face.

"Erza~" She cooed sweetly. "You're never going to find a boyfriend like that~"

Erza blushed and huffed away muttering how she didn't need a man to tie her down. She was not going to think of any blue haired males while saying this either!

"Oh and Erza-chan."

"What?" She asked harsher than she intended.

"Don't eat all my left over cake~" Mirajane sang and threw her keys to the cafe.

"I... won't..." She answered, but the spark of mischief hadn't gone unnoticed by the white haired cafe owner.

* * *

It was the third time she had run into him, and Erza began to wonder how small of a town Magnolia really was. He was sat a few meters from her cafe when he looked up and spied her racing out of the small eatery. She had just finished locking up the cafe when she spotted him.

"Miss Erza Scarlet?" He asked very surprised at this encounter, but his grim face told her something had happened.

Erza couldn't help notice the raw dried up blood on his hands and immediately frowned.

"Again?" She asked in disapproval and inched closer to the man sitting on the curb. He noticeably flinched and her auburn eyes gazed at him in curious bewilderment.

"I... couldn't help it..." he confessed and he had his eyes set on the ground. She noticed him playing him his fingers, tapping them with his opposite hand.

For some reason she couldn't question Jellal's motives so she uttered a single ghostly' who?' instead. He sighed.

"The little boy made it to the hospital." his eyes darkened. 'But not without any permanent injuries."

Erza fell into silence. She could already guess what happened. But even so, she knew the taking someone's life was not the answer. Once lost, a life can never be retrieved again. She knew... but where should she draw this line? But surely some people deserve it? She questioned herself.

"Jellal Fernandes, you shouldn't murder people."

"...So you've told me." He smiled half-heartedly, still not looking her in the face.

She furrowed her brows in half irritation and half question. For once she had thought that her face had something wrong with it. The young woman had never felt so conscious about her appearance before. She but her lips and forced the blush away. With a burning resolve she placed her bags down and crouched down until her face was at his level and she was now opposite him. Erza used her hands to grab both of his cheeks and pull them up until he was facing her with surprised blue eyes.

"Jellal Fernandes, I don't know your reason, but I know you're a better person than that." She ignored the fact that his cheeks slightly squished between her hands was endearing. "You have to realise that when you kill someone, they will not come back and fix their mistakes and receive proper punishment."

She wished she worded her explaination slightly better.

She noticed his eyes softened. He slowly brought his hands on top of hers, prying them away from his face with light feather-like touches and held them as if they were the most delicate of china ceramics. Erza couldn't help but blush at his strange gentleness.

"Miss Erza... Scarlet..." Her name seemed to roll of his tongue as gently as his hold on her. "You are too generous to trifle with me. But generosity should have limits. Your naivety will soon get the best of you."

He sighed deeply.

His eyes were hard with experience and contained a rare sincerity that she's never seen in a pair of eyes. This had her trust every word that left his mouth. "And I would curse the world a thousand times if it were to hurt you."

Erza snatched her hands away while blushing cutely which Jellal couldn't help but smile warmly at. "T-t-thank you for y-y-your concern, but I'll be fine!" He was too smooth for his own good.

"I must be on my way now!" She got up quickly and let out a cough. "I hope you begin to realise the importance of someone's life,"

Jellal dismissed her order with a wave of his hands.

Erza frowned and then dug into her bag. She presented a small white box with the words fairy cafe written across the top with detailed cursive. Once again she swooped down to his level and placed it in his hands and bounded up standing again.

"See you again, Jellal Fernandes." She gave him a slight nod of her head. "Hopefully you will learn to appreciate the smaller, yet more important things in life."

The red head took her leave and left him sitting by himself on that gutter. He opened up at the small box and chuckled to himself when he found the small strawberry shortcake and small spoon that lay in the space.

Was this her definition of smaller and important things in life? She continued to surprise him and she was such an honest good girl.

He watched her scarlet hair disappear around the corner and then looked up at the clutter of small glowing specks in the sky. He spooned some of the sponge dessert into his mouth while staring wistfully at the night sky.

Why should I need to appreciate this sweet piece of cake, when I have you?

* * *

:P The result of my procrastinating for my assignments. This needs to be submitted. Oh dear... so very tired I am. Jeez! I'll update everything that's not on hiatus soon. Just need to finish my assignments xD Please enjoy this chapter of cheesiness xDD  
-Shiawase-usagichan


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